"Gavin and I met in middle school, though he remembers meeting me in 6th grade when he moved to our town. He maintains that he has had a crush on my since our 6th grade year. We were friends all through high school, but dated other people. We actually went on 3 double/triple dates together -- with other dates! Our friendship deepened our senior year of high school, even more so when our family switched churches to the one he attended. Spending time with him in that setting allowed me to see more fully his character and leadership that I only caught glimpses of in school. My respect and fondness for him grew over that year, and in the last month of high school, knowing we were going to separate schools hours away, Gavin and I began a romantic relationship. Gavin proposed atop a sand dune overlooking lake Michigan at sunset at a place very dear to us and to his family. He proposed with a ring he picked out for me on his own (which is different from the ones I had ever looked at and my favorite of them all!). After I said yes, we went up to a tall, one-room building on the grounds sitting up in the forest overlooking the lake because he wanted to pray together. When I opened the door to walk in, I saw his entire family as well as my entire family! We hugged and cried and celebrated, and gathered as his dad said a few words and prayed for us. The night ended with a party at at their decorated home! I was so surprised, blown away by how carefully he though for me, and beyond thankful to have spent that evening with our families. I love about Gavin is a reflection of Jesus Christ and an outpouring of the love Gavin has for God. He is a natural leader, bold yet humble, and is quick to notice and meet the needs of those who might be overlooked. He challenges me intellectually and questions everything, not willing to accept something simply because it is how he has been raised, seeking instead truth and reason and logic through reasoning beyond my skill. He is kind, honest, trustworthy, gentle, and tender, yet possesses the strength of a quiet man who gracefully wields any authority he has so as not to demean others but make them feel important and equal. He acts sacrificially, as a servant, and puts the needs of others before himself. He loves me, and reinforces that in his actions. He chooses to extend grace to me if I act out of frustration; he is patient with me when I am hard to love; he calms and grounds me when I am flustered; he humbly admits when he is wrong and asks for forgiveness when necessary, and is quick to honestly forgive in return. Above all, he knows that at the end of the day, he cannot be my ultimate satisfaction and I cannot be his, pointing me instead to Jesus and the faith we have experienced and know to be true. He reminds me through his actions and his words of the loving and just God that loved us enough that in spite of our rebellion against Him deserving death he sent his son to pay the penalty I deserve for my sin, so that I might be forgiven through Christ and spend eternity in heaven if I believe and place my trust in Jesus for salvation. Gavin seeks to know God more and more each day and pursues Christ-likeness, encouraging me and spurring me on to do the same. I couldn't be more excited to spend my days loving, enjoying, and growing alongside him." - Mallory

"I love the feel our wedding has developed. It's a nice mix of modern and classic and romantic, but feels very natural. The bridesmaids will be in champagne sequin floor length dresses and the groomsmen will be in modern navy tuxedos with black lapels. This means we don't really have a wedding "color." The reception will be gold and ivory with greenery on the tables, lots of candles, and white hydranga on some tables. The wedding party flowers will be a loosely arranged garden style full of big ivory blooms, lots of greenery, and pops of peach, burgundy, and navy. Long ribbons will flow from each bouquet. My dress is a close-fitting ivory lace dress with a full open back. Gavin loves my hair down, so I will wear it loosely pulled to the side and gathered up. My only accessory other than the beautiful ring gavin picked out will be a pair of statement rhinestone and pearl earrings. I love candid shots with Gavin and friends; natural photos of people laughing and generally enjoying one another. I suppose that's when I feel beautiful, because I know I am bubbling over with joy! I also love photojournalistic images and images up close that are bright and natural. I love being able to capture details and intimate moments, whether of Gavin and I or of guests. We are so excited to share our wedding day with our family and friends, and hope it is a fun, restful, celebratory day for them as well." - Mallory